SAN FRANCISCO — There was no assure Texas Tech would have senior guard Likelihood McMillian accessible for Saturday’s Elite Eight sport in opposition to Florida.
The 6-foot-3 guard had been coping with an indirect harm for 2 weeks that saved him out of the workforce’s final 4 video games and all three of Texas Tech’s NCAA Event contests.
Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland had no expectations for McMillian to play, particularly after he was a late scratch for the Pink Raiders’ Candy 16 sport in opposition to Arkansas.
However from the second he awoke on Saturday morning, McMillian knew he was going to go well with up it doesn’t matter what. With this 12 months being his final and an opportunity to go to the Last 4 on the road, there was no approach he was going to look at from the bench once more.
Texas Tech Pink Raiders’ Likelihood McMillian (0), proper, sits on the bench whereas taking part in the Arkansas Razorbacks within the first half of their Candy 16 spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event at Chase Heart in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Space Information Group)
That’s not the material during which the Vallejo native is lower from.
Regardless of his workforce falling in need of making the Last 4, McMillian left all of it on the ground. He scored 14 factors on 5 of 11 capturing from the sphere and performed slightly below 26 minutes in Texas Tech’s 84-79 loss to Florida at Chase Heart on Saturday night time.
McMillian’s subsequent steps to his future are unknown, however he’ll always remember how Vallejo made him into the participant he’s.
“It’s a full circle moment,” McMillian stated. “I remember being at the park in Vallejo, imagining me shooting a buzzer beater like I’m at Oracle Arena. But now that I’m at Chase Center now, so it’s just crazy.
“I wasn’t ranked coming up at all. I played on a little AAU team called Lakeshow. I didn’t play on a circuit team or anything like that until my last year of AAU. I just wanted to give people in the Bay Area hope, especially Vallejo. Not too many hoopers came out of Vallejo and played in college, so I definitely wanted to put on for the city.”
Whereas he was at Texas Tech for simply two seasons, his last efficiency as a collegiate athlete will at all times be remembered by McCasland.
“What Chance McMillian did today has nothing to do with the score,” McCasland stated. “It just has everything to do with what I want to live my life like. He’s obviously in a situation where he probably could have not come back. … Man, I’m so inspired by him, and because of him I do believe our program is different forever.”
When McMillian stepped onto the ground for warmups, a loud cheer emerged from behind the Texas Tech’s bench as he seemed over to the gang. The Texas Tech part was crammed with McMillian’s members of the family and followers together with his face on their t-shirts.
McMillian didn’t begin the sport, however made a huge effect early.
He subbed in 5 minutes into the primary half and noticed his first jumper fall quick. However it doesn’t take a lot to get McMillian going.
The shifty guard snaked his approach into the lane and knocked down a floater over the outstretched arms of Florida’s 6-9 ahead Thomas Haugh a couple of minutes later. On the subsequent possession, he discovered Darrion Williams for a 3-pointer that initiated on his drive to the basket.
Texas Tech Pink Raiders’ Likelihood McMillian (0) hugs Texas Tech Pink Raiders’ Darrion Williams (5) after defeating the Arkansas Razorbacks in extra time through the Candy 16 spherical of the NCAA Males’s Basketball Event at Chase Heart in San Francisco, Calif., on Thursday, March 27, 2025. Texas Tech Pink Raiders defeat the Arkansas Razorbacks in extra time 85-83. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Space Information Group)
From there, any thought that McMillian would look rusty in his return went out the window. He made two of his 5 3-point makes an attempt and was the scorer that Texas Tech wanted coming into Saturday’s sport.
When he noticed McMillian take the ground, Florida coach Todd Golden wasn’t thrilled. The previous College of San Francisco coach recruited McMillian when he was in highschool and knew he needed to sport plan for him within the days main as much as Saturday’s sport.
“We were disappointed when they said he was playing,” Golden stated jokingly. “We knew that he was going to be hard to guard. He’s a great shooter, great scorer and gives Texas Tech more depth. But he still had a great game.”
For McMillian, it’s becoming that his legacy as a university basketball participant ends within the Bay Space.
McMillian grew up in San Francisco, attending Star of the Sea Elementary Faculty and St. Thomas the Apostle for center faculty. When he moved to Vallejo, he spent his first three years at St. Patrick-St. St. Vincent Excessive earlier than transferring to Bethel for his senior 12 months.
At Bethel, he averaged 28.2 factors per sport and received his third straight Tri-County Athletic League Stone Division MVP. He then performed one season at Golden State Faculty Prep in Napa.
“It’s almost miraculous what he was trying to do, really,” McCasland stated. “We didn’t win the game, so it doesn’t have the same thrill for everybody to write stories, but to me, in my heart, it doesn’t change anything.
“What he was willing to sacrifice for the guys to put himself in that position, I don’t think anybody really understands it. And in my heart and in our guys hearts, they know that he loved them that much and that he was willing to do whatever. … It’s how it was every day, and that’s why we got the opportunity to be in the Elite Eight.”
Initially Printed: March 29, 2025 at 8:28 PM PDT
